Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-08-11
LAND SHARKS AND LAND TITLES,

The little correspondence given to the pub
lie through the NORTHWEST last week, con-
cerning land titles in Napoleon, has brought
to light the fact that many property holders
received similar postal cards or letters, some
of them setting forth that for sum of mon
ey quit claim deed would be given, which
would perfect their property title. On the
eve of the advertisements we spoke of last
week and the receiving of the correspondence
by certain ones of our citizens, one B. A.
Hamilton, of Piedmont, No., put in an ap-
pearence, claiming to be the heir of BENZ.
level, one of the associates of Elnathan Cory
and Horatio G.. Philips, who entered most of
the land Napoleon now stands on from the
Government, and represented to our citizens
that he was ready to issue quit claim deeds
(for money consideration, $50, $75, 800, or
whatever might be the sum agreed upon) to
one-third of the property, which he repre-
sented as still being owned by the LEVEL
heirs, as there was no deed on record in ex-
| istence to show that LEVEL had transferred
his interest. The appearance of Mr.. Hamilton
gave the whole scheme (Which savors of moth
ing less than blackmail) away, and our citi-
zens recognized an old chestnut and gave the
claimant a cold shoulder and he departed,
| leaving behind him power of attorney to
Mr.. Hiram Van Campen, which is probably
as far as the matter will go. But if it should
go farther, no fears should be felt as to the
result, as there is sufficient evidence to be had
that LEVEL transferred his interest, that the
deed was recorded and burned with the rec
ords in the fire of 1S47. The matter has been
| reopened by IA set of land sharks, who ex-
pected to make big speck by the operation,
but our citizens having an abundance of ex-
perience in rascally tricks, were not to be ta-
ken in quite so easy. If this claimant has a
good case let him go into court and establish
it.
The records of this county were wholly
destroyed in the fire of 1S47 which fact has
caused some little trouble in establishing
titles in this county, but the one referred to
above has little or nothing in it, as it has
been conceded by all for the past half a CEN
tury that the property interest of LEVEL was
transferred to parties who afterwards gave
their warrantee deeds to other parties, and
the land now being in peaceful possession of
Napoleon people for afength of time coming
near half century. Some years before
the death of Haziel Strong, the first Re-
corder this county had, he appeared before
Probate Judge Haly and made the following
affidavit, which explains itself
The STATE OF ONO, HENRY COUNTY, IS:
Before me, the undersigned authority, Pro-
bate Judge in and for the county and State
aforesaid, personally came Haziel Strong, of
Napoleon in said county, who being duly
sworn, says that he has continuously resided
at what is now Napoleon in said county ever
since in October, 1888, that being before the
organization os Henry county, that he we'll
knew Horatio G. Phillips and Elnathan Cory,
two of the original patentees of the north
west quarter of the southwest quarter, and the
east half of the northwest quarter, and
the northwest factional quarter of section
| thirteen, township No. 5, north of range No.
6 east, in the county of Henry and State of
| Ohio, and also that he had some acquaintance
with Benjamin LEVEL, the other of said pat
entees; that the said affiant was the first Audi
tor of said county. and held some Office with
in the county from its organization in 1884,
until subsequent to 1847; that he was, the direc-
TOR OF Napoleon, ana the authorized agent OF
| the said II. G. Phillips and those who sue
ceeded him for the disposal of his lands
and town lots; that he was the Recorder of
said county before, during and after the year
| 1S47, at which time the public records of said
county were consumed by fire; that as such
Recorder he had the care and custody of the
conveyances then on file in the Office of said
Recorder and as such and as the said agent of
said Phillips affiant had knowledge of the
fact that the said Horatio G. Phillips was the
purchaser by deed from the said Benjamin
LEVEL and wife of the said LEVEL one-third
interest in the lands herein described, except
ing such as had been before disposed of by.
| said patentees jointly; that he feels quite
positive that said conveyances was placed
upon record by him as such Recorder and was
probably among the papers destroyed by said
fire. HAzIEL, STRONG.
Sworn to before me and signed in my pres
ence by the seid Haziel Strong, whom know
to be the person he represents himself to be
in the foregoing affidavit, and further that he
is man of unexceptionable character in ev-
cry respect. JAMES G. HALY,
Probate Judge, Henry county, Ohio.